Habs Need Eyesight Checked

The Canadiens fought back in the third period to erase a two-goal Buffalo lead, but lost 3-2 in overtime with two seconds left in a P.K. Subban high-sticking penalty, which was a borderline call by any stretch. And it wasn’t even Chris Lee officiating.

So their winning streak ends at five, but they got a point, and the best thing to do now is start a brand new five-game streak. Or an elusive six-game beauty. They’ve been rebounding all year and they’ll let this slide off them like water off a White-winged Scoter duck.

It wasn’t the most exciting game ever played, but the Habs did make people sit up in their seats after they’d removed much of the rust that had blanketed them early on. They took over, and in the third period Brendan Gallagher did all the work on Max Pacioretty’s goal, and Alex Galchenyuk set up Colby Armstrong’s marker which tied things up.

If I could’ve stood up and cheered I would have. But I’m a bit crippled right now so I had to mostly just smile and maybe grimace slightly.

The kids were involved, especially Gallagher, and TSN’s Ray Ferraro compared our guy to a young Theoren Fleury. Small but plays big. Has all kinds of fire and oodles of talent. I hadn’t thought of this comparison before and I like it.

Hopefully down the road, Gallagher won’t blow a million bucks in one weekend on wine, women, song and a few other things, like Fleury did.

But things should never have been as tight as it was on this night at the Bell Centre. Montreal outshot the Sabres 34-21, including 11-2 in the second period, and aside from that, they missed the net close in way too many times. I don’t think there’s any excuse. They’re trying to thread the needle and they’re missing the mark. I hate that.

Maybe some of guys are spending way too much time on hand-held video games and their eyesight is getting damaged. Michel Therrien may want to monitor the video use on the team. Missing the net more than twenty times was ridiculous and the Habs should have won this game by a healthy margin and been sitting at six straight. Imagine all the rebounds that didn’t happen.

Random Notes:

Habs are on Long Island on Thursday to take on the Islanders. The last time these two met, the Islanders won 6-3, but Montreal began their five-game winning streak just after.

Brian Gionta had a fair amount of zip tonight.

Thanks to all the well-wishers about my back problem. I’ve really done a number on myself here and can barely walk. It’s not the first time I’ve put my back out, but this is one of the most serious I think. But as I say many times, I’m from Orillia, where men are men etc.

6 thoughts on “Habs Need Eyesight Checked”

The Habs simply couldn’t overcome that horrendous first period, arguably the team’s worst period of hockey since the 6-0 debacle against Toronto. The one bright side was that Boston lost in regulation, so Montreal picked up a point in the race for first place in the division.